Dirt Nap is Back

[Mable Wood]

Mable sat out in the gazebo waiting for Dirt Nap. She sat quietly listening to the breeze and the quiet night. Sitting on top of the gazebo was a raven, dark and large watching. When Dirt neared he could hear the raven caw.

[Dirt Nap]

The raven caws out a warning at the arrival of another predator, a nocturnal one.

Dirt Nap arrives as an owl, careful to arrive out of sight--at least from the ground--on silent wings. He changes back into a human seeming form behind a stand of trees, and then strolls warily down the private driveway.

"Hello the house." He says in a normal--for him--soft speaking voice, sure he will be heard by the one he is speaking to, but there is a hint of something not quite normal for him, something...eager, and predatory and above all, hungry.

He approaches the gazebo.

"Nice set-up." Dirt Nap comments apparently on the gazebo.

"It's very good to see you again, Ma'am."

"I would have come around to say hi and all, but I am here more or less on business this first time." Dirt Nap explains.

"I met with the Boss, to make sure she'd have me back, and she told me to get caught up on the investigations I was thick in the middle of when I left. So...I apologize for my bad manners, but obeying the Boss comes before pleasure. Ma'am, can you tell me what I missed, and where things stand now with the picture problem we were having? And the picture maker and his keeper and the one in the picture?"

[Mable Wood]

Mable gave Dirt Nap a warm smile. "Thank you. And you never need to worry. I was just happy you were okay."

She looked at him closely, "You are okay aren't you?" Remembering how others in his clan had disappeared from whatever it was they did, she worried even more.

"I really wish I could help catch you up. But I'm confused over what is really going on. I can try and give you my take on everything. Maybe you could help me understand better." She patted the chair next to her. "Or would you rather go inside where we can have privacy...completely?"

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap listens carefully and attentively to Mable, not speaking until she has finished and even then taking a few minutes before he says, "Thank you, Ma'am. Inside would be best, I'd say. The more private, the better."

Once in private, Dirt Nap says, "Ma'am, I can't say as I am 'okay', but I am in control of myself, and that's the best I can do for now. I don't plan on running off again any time soon anyway."

Then he nods. "If you don't mind, Ma'am, I'd like to here about the way you see things, with Mister Kowalsic and the picture and Ms. Simone and her man, and how it went with the Seneschal and anyone else you all reported to since I left."

[Mable Wood]

Mable looked closer at Dirt Nap. "Do you need to visit the horses and feed before I fill you in." She knew this was blunt but she was worried.


After he either fed and returned or if he didn't need to she started to fill him in.

She went for honesty, after all it was Dirt Nap, "Let me start with Simone. I'm really worried. She is Crone, like me. If she has some of the skills I have she could have caused this whole situation. And most of the info we had received was from her. She could be puppeteering the whole thing."

"Any way, let's see...We got out of the museum. Edward and I got Rosario out. He is Simone's ghoul. Twist got Melanie and the painting. I was assuming from the rat squeaks that you we responsible for the rats? And the lights going out?"

"Then we went to the farm and met with Twist. Then headed over to the Prince. We left the sketch and painting with the Prince. Twist was going to meet with Mr. Kowalsic. The Prince was going to speak to Rosario. The Prince said she and whom ever she chose would handle the situation from here." She had given just the basics but it was all that was needed.

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap shakes his head when Mable offers her horses' blood to him.

He listens intently when she describes her perspective on developments in the investigation.

"I think I see, Ma'am, thank you. It seems clear enough, as far as it goes." He says in a reassuring tone.

"Do you know where Rosario or Simone are now?" Dirt Nap asks.

[Mable Wood]

Mable shakes her head, "No, I'm not tracking them right now. But I do know they each have a home." She thinks for a moment.

"Are you thinking we should go talk with Simone? I don't think we should speak with Rosario because the Prince clearly said she would do that. And I am thinking we should get permission from the Prince since she had ideas of how she wanted to handle this. Basically, I felt like we investigators were being dismissed."

She tilted her head, "Maybe that's why the Prince sent you to me to catch you up?"

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap listens. "Well, Ma'am." He says when Mable asks what he is thinking. "I am just getting catched up a little bit from having been gone." He reminds her. "So, I am not about to be making any suggestions just yet. I just want to know where they are, exactly. Just in case." He explains.

"All she told me to do was to get caught up."

"So, Ma'am, as far as you know, Simone is still at the place we all went to, before?" He asks, just to make sure. "And the Prince already has the painting and the sketch?"

[Mable Wood]

Mable thought a moment. Then nodded. "Yes. I believe that is where we are at."

"I could invite Simone over to discuss the Circle? I need to get things squared away with it anyway."

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap listens in silence.

Then he says, "Well, Ma'am. If I understood correction, the Prince said to leave the investigating to her, and whoever she said to do it...which, beg pardon Ma'am, sounds like she meant to say that wouldn't be you."

He pauses and then says, "Based on that, I would highly recommend not having any contact at all with Ms. Simone. It could be misunderstood to be disobeying the Prince to do anything else, it seems to me."